Stateless in the Dominican

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Tuesday, October 15, 2013

Policiia Ovilsen (top, L), a Haitian-born immigrant to the Dominican Republic in 1940, poses outside her home with her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, in Batey La Higuera, in the eastern Seibo province, October 7, 2013. A September 23, 2013 court ruling retroactively denies Dominican nationality to anyone born after 1929 who does not have at least one parent of Dominican blood, under a constitutional clause...more

Tuesday, October 15, 2013

Policiia Ovilsen (top, L), a Haitian-born immigrant to the Dominican Republic in 1940, poses outside her home with her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, in Batey La Higuera, in the eastern Seibo province, October 7, 2013. A September 23, 2013 court ruling retroactively denies Dominican nationality to anyone born after 1929 who does not have at least one parent of Dominican blood, under a constitutional clause declaring all others to be either in the country illegally or "in transit." The decision will effectively strip families of Haitian immigrants like this one, of their Dominican nationality. REUTERS/Ricardo Rojas

Altagracia Jose (L) and her husband Josecito Fria (C), both of them born in the Dominican Republic to Haitian immigrants, have a meal with their daughter Gloria (R) and granddaughter Abril (2nd L), outside their home in Batey La Higuera, in the eastern Seibo province, October 7, 2013. REUTERS/Ricardo Rojas

Tuesday, October 15, 2013

Altagracia Jose (L) and her husband Josecito Fria (C), both of them born in the Dominican Republic to Haitian immigrants, have a meal with their daughter Gloria (R) and granddaughter Abril (2nd L), outside their home in Batey La Higuera, in the eastern Seibo province, October 7, 2013. REUTERS/Ricardo Rojas

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Tuesday, October 15, 2013

Sentilia Igsema (2nd R, seated), born in 1930 in the Dominican Republic to Haitian immigrants, poses with four generations of her family outside their home in Batey La Higuera, in the eastern Seibo province, October 7, 2013. REUTERS/Ricardo Rojas

Tuesday, October 15, 2013

Sentilia Igsema (2nd R, seated), born in 1930 in the Dominican Republic to Haitian immigrants, poses with four generations of her family outside their home in Batey La Higuera, in the eastern Seibo province, October 7, 2013. REUTERS/Ricardo Rojas

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Tuesday, October 15, 2013

Otilia Ovilsen (L), whose grandmother is a Haitian-born immigrant to the Dominican Republic, rides a motorbike past her father on horseback, outside their home in Batey La Higuera, in the eastern Seibo province, October 7, 2013. REUTERS/Ricardo Rojas

Tuesday, October 15, 2013

Otilia Ovilsen (L), whose grandmother is a Haitian-born immigrant to the Dominican Republic, rides a motorbike past her father on horseback, outside their home in Batey La Higuera, in the eastern Seibo province, October 7, 2013. REUTERS/Ricardo Rojas

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Tuesday, October 15, 2013

Sentilia Igsema, born in 1930 in the Dominican Republic to Haitian immigrants, shows her Dominican identity card outside her home in Batey La Higuera, in the eastern Seibo province, October 7, 2013. Two weeks ago the country's Constitutional Court issued a controversial decision effectively stripping families of Haitian immigrants like Igesma's of their Dominican nationality. REUTERS/Ricardo Rojas

Tuesday, October 15, 2013

Sentilia Igsema, born in 1930 in the Dominican Republic to Haitian immigrants, shows her Dominican identity card outside her home in Batey La Higuera, in the eastern Seibo province, October 7, 2013. Two weeks ago the country's Constitutional Court issued a controversial decision effectively stripping families of Haitian immigrants like Igesma's of their Dominican nationality. REUTERS/Ricardo Rojas

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Tuesday, October 15, 2013

Keiser Igsema, whose great grandmother was born in 1930 in the Dominican Republic to Haitian immigrants, takes a bath outside their home in Batey La Higuera, in the eastern Seibo province, October 7, 2013. REUTERS/Ricardo Rojas

Tuesday, October 15, 2013

Keiser Igsema, whose great grandmother was born in 1930 in the Dominican Republic to Haitian immigrants, takes a bath outside their home in Batey La Higuera, in the eastern Seibo province, October 7, 2013. REUTERS/Ricardo Rojas

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Tuesday, October 15, 2013

Farmer Leguisie Louis (top), a Haitian-born immigrant to the Dominican Republic in 1959, stands in the door to his home with his granddaughter Maxileidy, in La Loma, in the eastern Seibo province, October 7, 2013. REUTERS/Ricardo Rojas

Tuesday, October 15, 2013

Farmer Leguisie Louis (top), a Haitian-born immigrant to the Dominican Republic in 1959, stands in the door to his home with his granddaughter Maxileidy, in La Loma, in the eastern Seibo province, October 7, 2013. REUTERS/Ricardo Rojas

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Tuesday, October 15, 2013

Farmer Leguisie Louis (top with hat), a Haitian-born immigrant to the Dominican Republic in 1959, and his wife Virgilia Vicil (L), born in the Dominican Republic to Haitian parents in 1952, pose with three generations of their family that include their children, grandchildren and great grandchildren, outside their home in La Loma, in the eastern Seibo province, October 7, 2013. REUTERS/Ricardo Rojas

Tuesday, October 15, 2013

Farmer Leguisie Louis (top with hat), a Haitian-born immigrant to the Dominican Republic in 1959, and his wife Virgilia Vicil (L), born in the Dominican Republic to Haitian parents in 1952, pose with three generations of their family that include their children, grandchildren and great grandchildren, outside their home in La Loma, in the eastern Seibo province, October 7, 2013. REUTERS/Ricardo Rojas

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Tuesday, October 15, 2013

Felicita Ovilsen (L), born to a Haitian-born immigrant to the Dominican Republic, stands near her husband Pedro Santana outside their home in Batey La Higuera, in the eastern Seibo province, October 7, 2013. REUTERS/Ricardo Rojas

Tuesday, October 15, 2013

Felicita Ovilsen (L), born to a Haitian-born immigrant to the Dominican Republic, stands near her husband Pedro Santana outside their home in Batey La Higuera, in the eastern Seibo province, October 7, 2013. REUTERS/Ricardo Rojas

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Tuesday, October 15, 2013

Virgilia Vicil (L), who was born in 1952 in the Dominican Republic to Haitian immigrants, prepares breakfast with her great-grandchildren Maxileidy (top, R) and Meison at their home in La Loma, in the eastern Seibo province, October 7, 2013. REUTERS/Ricardo Rojas

Tuesday, October 15, 2013

Virgilia Vicil (L), who was born in 1952 in the Dominican Republic to Haitian immigrants, prepares breakfast with her great-grandchildren Maxileidy (top, R) and Meison at their home in La Loma, in the eastern Seibo province, October 7, 2013. REUTERS/Ricardo Rojas

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Tuesday, October 15, 2013

Virgilia Vicil (L), who was born in 1952 in the Dominican Republic to Haitian immigrants, sits with her granddaughter Maxileidy in their kitchen in La Loma, in the eastern Seibo province, October 7, 2013. REUTERS/Ricardo Rojas

Tuesday, October 15, 2013

Virgilia Vicil (L), who was born in 1952 in the Dominican Republic to Haitian immigrants, sits with her granddaughter Maxileidy in their kitchen in La Loma, in the eastern Seibo province, October 7, 2013. REUTERS/Ricardo Rojas

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Tuesday, October 15, 2013

Maxileidy Louis, whose Haitian-born grandfather immigrated to the Dominican Republic in 1950, watches cornmeal cook for breakfast at her family's home in La Loma, in the eastern Seibo province, October 7, 2013. REUTERS/Ricardo Rojas

Tuesday, October 15, 2013

Maxileidy Louis, whose Haitian-born grandfather immigrated to the Dominican Republic in 1950, watches cornmeal cook for breakfast at her family's home in La Loma, in the eastern Seibo province, October 7, 2013. REUTERS/Ricardo Rojas

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Tuesday, October 15, 2013

Virgilia Vicil (R), who was born in 1952 in the Dominican Republic to Haitian immigrants, prepares breakfast with her great-granddaughter Maxileidy at their home in La Loma, in the eastern Seibo province, October 7, 2013. REUTERS/Ricardo Rojas

Tuesday, October 15, 2013

Virgilia Vicil (R), who was born in 1952 in the Dominican Republic to Haitian immigrants, prepares breakfast with her great-granddaughter Maxileidy at their home in La Loma, in the eastern Seibo province, October 7, 2013. REUTERS/Ricardo Rojas